Night Tides

Up until this point we did not have very many opportunities to relax at the beach. After a day full of tide pooling followed by lectures and dinner we decided, as a group, to grab our head lamps and make our way to the shore. Expecting the ocean to be at our feet when we arrived so we could layout and chill we were surprised to see that it was no where in sight. During the new moon the tides are at their most extreme, we experienced this during the day as nearly a mile of ocean floor was exposed for us to explore. Tiny pools of water filled with snails, crabs, fish, sea stars, and other creatures littered the land scape. Though most creatures were hidden under rocks and coral avoiding the sun, the tide pools still hinted at life. Myself and another student took the opportunity of a second low tide to make our way to the ocean following the same paths we took earlier that morning. After about 20 minutes of walking and a few dunks in the tide pools, we finally found the shore line. In our determination to make it to the ocean we paid little attention to what was going on in the tide pools. This was not the case on the trek back, the tide pools had come to life. At night the Hermit crabs crawled around in search for food, sea anemones swayed back and forth catching little particles as they drifted by, and fish of all shapes and colors dashed around under the light of our head lamps. As we walked we heard a sucking sound, I moved my head lamp down and saw an octopus attempting to escape, no doubt to find another tide pool in search for prey. I yelled “OCTOPUS” and the group that chose to stay on the beach ran towards us. It was mesmerized by the light for only a few minutes before sinking back into the pool and attempting to camouflage its self. I never expected how active the tide pools can be at night. Our need to spend some time chilling at the beach lead to this discovery and it turned out to be a way better outcome then laying out on a towel while sand made its way into places you’d rather it not be.

Friday April 18th

Friday April 18^th

Today was possibly the best day of the trip yet, I am aware there still are a couple days of our trip to beat but this day I will remember for the rest of my life, so the chance of beating it is near impossible. Today I became officially SCUBA certified and was able to do my first official Dive. Becoming scuba certified has always been a want for me ever since I was young. Soon it became a requirement for the Marine Science Degree Path. We saw many Sea Lions, and finally Sting rays! Sting ray bury themselves in the sand so well! It was astonishing to finally see all the sea life in person, instead of on video or photos. 

 

Thursday April 17th

Thursday April 17th

Wow what a Crazy Fun Day we had yesterday with Kayaking at Morua Estuary! A few of us are still recovering from the intense arm workout that was involved! I didn’t get to see much life in the estuaries, but we learned that the estuary can have a higher salinity which surprised me. We also were told of all the species of birds that fly through! There was a lot! This was a little scary for Melissa who was on her own Kayak, due to her fear of birds. But besides that it was a blast!

 

Your Friendly Neighborhood Dolphins

After our boat trip to bird island we were faced with a long voyage back to the main land. Though the swell was high and the boat rocked back and forth, the ride back was mostly uneventful. Exhausted I tried to find a good place to nap. With all the prime napping spots taken however, I found myself waiting for someone to wake up and move. I passed the time by watching some of the videos I shoot during my dive and eating a wonderfully prepared lunch. After about an hour or so of this my chance to get some rest presented itself. The most welcoming green couch I’ve ever seen was open and calling my name in the galley, I feel asleep. I awoke to sounds of screaming, shouts came from the front of the boat and I opened my eyes in a panic. In fight or flight mode, I arose only to be tossed head first into the galley table by the rocking of the boat. With the table nocked over and the sound of screaming filling the air I stumbled to my feet in search of a fire extinguisher thinking surely something must be a flame with all this screaming. Nothing was on fire however, made clear by the collective “awwww” and “OMG look there’s dolphins”. A pod of friendly dolphins followed the boat and began showing off for us. They were spectacular and despite the minor injuries I sustained the sighting was worth it. Though I could of went without the screaming, the experience was one I will likely never forget. Watching the pod play around the boat made for an amazing end to a great day on the ocean.

Last night was a haze

On the second story of CEDO there is a beautiful deck that overlooks the ocean. Sleeping on the deck is almost mandatory if you want the best experience possible. At night, alongside the sound of waves crashing, you can see the stars filling the night sky. However, some nights are better than others for this. On Tuesday, after a full day of activities and dinner, we came back to CEDO to tuck in for the night. Unlike the night before, this night felt different somehow. The deck was soaked though no rain had fell, the telephone pole in front of CEDO sparked, and the winds howled. Determined to sleep outside a few students braved the damp completely un-bothered but there was no mistaking the evidence. Around 1AM a heavy fog rolled in cutting visibility to near zero. The stars were completely blanketed, the moisture high, and our sleeping bags became pools of water. The next morning you could see what remained of the fog as it hovered just over the ocean creating an impenetrable wall. After that night most of the sleeping bags and their occupants remained indoors while CEDO’s deck remained clear.  

Home at Last!

During this past week, I never thought I would make as many memories and see as many things as I did out in Mexico. I am certainly going to watch where I step from now on more carefully when entering any ocean! I will miss waking up to the beautiful ocean breeze every morning, but I do appreciate my house and the shower that I have! Our last full day was very fun, I made my first ever boomerang on the beach and enjoyed s'mores. There is much to be explored in our great beautiful oceans, it was really cool to "sea" so many different areas even though it was just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to the vast amounts of sea life that exists. Below is a picture of an octopus that we found hiding in a shell!

Kayaking With Sea Lions!

I don't think I have ever been on a boat for a total of 10 hours, but this past week I went out of my comfort zone and had so much fun doing so. We took a boat 3 hours off the coast of Puerto Penasco to a tiny, bird and sea lion dotted island called San Jorge. A few people scuba dove, some snorkeled, and I decided to revisit the idea of kayaking because the water looked a lot friendlier than the wind and tide we dealt with at the estuary. I figured I would give kayaking another try, but this time in the beautiful blue ocean with sea lions diving under me and no frustrating wind. It was a blast, I only fell off ONCE! So glad I got to have this once in a life time experience.

It's been a couple of days since we have been back in the states, and while it feels amazing to be able to shower and use the bathroom in private as well as sleep in a bed with clean sheets and no mosquitos, the longer time goes on, the more I seem to miss my time at CEDO. Not only did I learn a lot about marine organisms and the way the tides work; the difference between spring and neap tides, the difference in organisms that inhabit the different substrates of the tides, and the incredible diversity of the Morua Estuary where the fresh water meets the sea water, but about the culture of Puerto Penasco itself. I developed a newfound respect for the community and the people that live there, where I had previously unappreciated it. Being at CEDO taught me that the people in the town really do care about the fishing village they inhabit and in protecting the diverse ecosystem that exist there. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience first hand everything that I did, and for all the friendships that I made along the way. This will be a trip that will never be forgotten and hard to be topped.

Trona Salt Mines

Boat we took Bird Island

Eco friendly home available for rent 

Thanks For The Memories!

Sunday was our day to say our farewells. We started the day early. Jumping in the vans at  6:45 a.m. we headed off to do surveying on Least Terns. Our job was to record the number of eggs we spotted. The number of eggs found would be an indicator of how that species was doing on that particuar shore.  Unfrontuanetly the number of birds has been declining and researchers are trying to figure out why. We split up and formed two lines 10 feet apart and surveyed the area around us as we walked from one side to the other. It was evident we were getting close to a nest when the birds started to dive bomb us, signaling us to retreat. We pushed through taking minimal breaks and staying in a uniform line as much as possible for time efficiency so that we wouldn’t stress the birds more than necessary. After a couple of hours of hard work, we headed back to CEDO.

Here we had our last dinner together. The people of CEDO made us a homemade traditional Mexican dinner that included quesadillas, enchiladas, sopes and salsa! We had our last get together around the campfire where we were told a scary story that left us, well at least me, terrified. The next morning we packed up and said our goodbyes to CEDO and the nice people who work there. Our host Alejandra was amazing and she will be missed. Until next time Alej!

Below are pictures of the sunrise on Sunday morning, a video of Glen getting dive bombed and our attempt at the last picture together as the sun set behind us. Hasta luego CEDO!

                           

Land Ho!

The most exciting part of my trip to Puerto Penasco was our visit to Isla de San Jorge. It took a 3-hour boat ride to get to the island, and it was an 8-hour boat trip overall. It was the first time I’ve been on a boat for that long! Luckily, I experienced no seasickness on the boat. In fact, I loved the feeling of being cradled by the waves and the sound of them crashing into one another. Looking out and seeing nothing but water, was a freeing and breathtaking experience. It’s crazy to think that I spend so much of my time surrounded by land that I forget our 71% of our planet is made up water and how much of it is out there! Every time we spotted a sea creature we would get so excited! The life that exists beyond our cozy homes is incredible, not to mention curious too.

When we got to the island we anchored our a boat with enough distance as to not disturb the protected wildlife on the island. Some people went scuba diving, some went snorkeling, others kayaked nearby and some of us enjoyed swimming in the blue waters. Everyone was greeted by the “pups of the sea”, otherwise known as sea lions. Alex and Glen made sure to make us aware of the precautions we needed to take when being in the sea lions' natural habitat. Something to be aware of is their body language and behavior, such as when they blow bubbles in your face- that means they are warning you that you're in their space. The second thing they will do is tap you with their tail. At this point, it’s probably best to give them some space. Lastly, well...let’s just say you don’t want to get the third warning. It won’t be very nice. These playful creatures loved interacting with humans but it’s important to be mindful of what’s going on around you.

On our way back Jess spotted a dolphin and the captain of the boat made a swift turn towards it, where it led us towards several more dolphins. I’ve attached a clip below. Enjoy!